RamHatter [blog]

"Dream It All Up Again" (Or, The End Of This Blog)

2012-10-11T22:10:00.000-05:00

I've started to slow down writing on this blog. Yes, I'm busier, and I still want to write. I just don't want to write here.

This blog started in 2005 with me attempting to figure out how to write in an online format. I had been writing in composition books, journals and notebooks since the early 90's. This blog is (loosely) my version 3.0 of writing. It's been fun these past few years, and it's sometimes hard to believe I've written over 1,000 posts in the midst of everything else I've been doing.

Earlier in the week, I was driving to a conference and thinking about why I don't write much any more. I had the realization that I could shut down this blog, and it was energizing for some strange reason. A bunch of ideas came to mind immediately.

This past year I've started to notice a thought creeping in to my overall view of this blog. I've thought more about posts I'm expected to write, or posts that would make sense for me to write. I hear a lot from people about what I should write. I don't want posts to be about maintaining the status quo.

I don't want to coast. I don't want to just maintain a blog. I want try some new things. I want to be unencumbered with my writing. I want to start from scratch with creating something.

To do that, I will turn inward a bit with my social media. I will cut down on some of the people I follow on various social media platforms. (Don't take it personal. You might receive a notice saying I'm following you again on social media.)

I will be tweeting. I will be posting on Instagram and Tumblr. I will be on Facebook like 1 billion others. I will be writing for the Christ Community Church blog. I will just have this side project as well.

I will be writing about (blank) for awhile. After I get some posts under my belt, I will broadcast it.

It's humbling that so many read this blog, and the posts have influenced the lives of people all around the world. I am grateful. This blog will be staying up for the foreseeable future.

I believe my best years of creating/writing are ahead of me.

I was explaining to people the other night, but I might've got it a bit wrong – this is just the end of something for U2. And that's what we're playing these concerts – and we're throwing a party for ourselves and you. It's no big deal, it's just – we have to go away and ... and dream it all up again.
-Bono (December 30, 1989)

Online Campus: When All Goes Wrong

2012-09-30T21:36:00.000-05:00

"I feel defeated."

Jordan and I have been doing a lot of preparation on Fridays, lately, for the Sunday Online Campus services. We make sure everything is prepped and ready. The past three months have shown us that we need to be prepared as much as possible.

This past week, we once again got everything prepped and ready for today's service. As the service time draws near, we start to see blips with the hosting of our Online Campus page and the streaming of our service. We check everything and see we have all our settings correct. Yet, chat isn't working. Live prayer isn't working. Pushing our slides isn't working. The live stream of the service isn't working. I looked hopelessly at my laptop, and did what every IT person knows what to do in a time like this. Restart the machine.

The service starts later than normal. Construction in the area has made for a traffic mess in and out of the church. Last week, and this week, we delayed the start of the service by five to ten minutes. It doesn't seem like much, but when people show up online and wonder where the service is it can be annoying. Ordinarily, we'd be able to tell them in the chat, but that wasn't working.*

*Yeah, that restart? Didn't help.

I was trying to problem solve the first part of the service. All it did was verify the issues we were experiencing were out of our control. Responding to this was difficult. I was angry, because it seems the issues are never ending. I wanted to hit something, but I knew that wasn't a realistic option. So I threw a Sharpie at the floor.*

*Don't mess with me!

Jordan had a commitment early in the afternoon, so I let him go early because things were dead with the Online Campus. I tried to watch the service online, but the video kept freezing up and/or dropping altogether. I threw up the white flag.

I packed up everything silently, and shuffled away to the minivan. I sat down in it and felt defeated. Since midsummer I've been trying to fix the issue we've had with our media streaming provider. Things haven't improved with them. I've talked directly with the President of the company about the issues. We've been in process of looking at other options, but another long-term solution can't be implemented overnight. Jordan and I have spent hours upon hours trying rectify the matter.

It's one thing if the chat, or live prayer, goes down, but when the media streaming company you use continues to fail in streaming Online Campus services it undermines everything. I sat in my minivan thinking I can't let this keep going. Close to 250 people attend the Online Campus every Sunday, and I felt I was letting them down.

What does one do in response? Refuse to be defeated. Keep grinding at work. Keep learning, and applying what you learn. Keep hustling. Keep creating with solutions. Keep listening and reaching out to Online Campus attenders. And, keep living with perspective.

While it affects me personally, it's just another day. There are good days, and there are bad days. Tomorrow is another day. A good day will come. Besides, there are good things happening in my life.

I've spent the afternoon thinking through courses of action to pursue that will improve the Online Campus experience. If things fail again, it won't be because of lack of action. The Online Campus will be better than ever.

But this morning? Yeah, that sucked.

When Modern Becomes Tradition

2012-09-14T12:41:00.000-05:00

Wednesday is my meeting day. I have five schedule meetings, and then in the evenings I take my boys to Kids' Clubs. While it can be a grind, it's nice to knock out a majority of my meetings in one day.

One of my Wednesday meetings deals with Access/Online services. Ryan Shields, Travis Williams and I review the previous Sunday services, and go over upcoming services. We approach it from different perspectives, and it's been fun for me to hear their takes on worship, church, the gospel and more.

Yesterday, we were discussing a classic hymn, and listening to a modern version of it. I dismissed it. The arrangement was well-done, and it was performed with excellence. I dismissed it because it wasn't what I was used to with the song. I said that in the meeting, and we discussed whether people would join in with the song.

After I left the meeting, I thought some more about my reasoning. I realized that it could be synonymous with those who don't like any change at church. This is a tension the church always faces. From wearing jeans to church, having drums in the band, how one does communion, any kind of change can be a cause for uproar.

Who knows, perhaps this modern rendition of a hymn will draw someone closer to Jesus because they like the style of it. I know I like different renditions of classic hymns that draw me into the lyrics and story of the song.

Many classic hymns were once scandalous because they were based off of "secular" songs. It's been said that the music for Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was based off of a popular drinking song's tune.

Now, should one take into account how a song might be received because the style is different than what is known? Of course, but that shouldn't be the sole factor. What is God saying, and doing, with it? Who are you trying to minister to, reach, and serve with the service? Perhaps the new rendition will draw people into the church who don't like the usual music.

It's all about Jesus, not my preference for comfort in a worship service.

I think it is good to honor tradition, and to utilize varying styles with worship services. I'm glad there are a multitude of ways to worship Jesus. It's good to know church history and see how it applies to us today. Tradition should not be the guiding factor, though. It makes me sad when I hear churches split over non-essential issues. We've all heard examples.

I'm 36, and as I get older I realize this will be something I'll probably run into more and more. Some of the little stuff I enjoy about church services now, wearing jeans to services and drinking coffee, was/is scandalous to the generation before me. (Oh yeah, I'm an Online Campus Pastor!) There will be stuff I enjoy now about worship services that will be passé in a few years. I'm sure in twenty years there will be some kid who thinks the way I prefer to worship is ridiculous and out-of-step. Right on. I hope I can smile when I hear that. (And not telling him the proverbial, "Get off my lawn!") I hope my generation is about reaching, serving and loving the upcoming generations for Jesus.

I don't want to turn into a curmudgeon toward worship services. I will always have my preferences when it comes to style of music, and the culture and vibe of a service. Nevertheless, I want to be all about Jesus.

In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas (unity in necessary things; liberty in doubtful things; charity in all things) --St. Augustine of Hippo

The RID Project: Husker Football (Update #26)

2012-08-30T15:33:00.001-05:00

I think the easy thing would be to write one sentence and move on, but where's the fun with that?

Last fall, when I wrote about getting rid of the NFL, I received the most criticism about a specific The RID Project post. One of the ripple effects was there were times I had something critical to say about Husker football, and the response was, "Oh yeah, why don't you get rid of Husker football then?!"*

*Because, as you know, true fans blindly support their team, and hammer anyone who has something to say that doesn't echo their own take.

I didn't want to do this out of spite, or to show someone else up. I wanted it to be a decision on my own accord. Over the course of a few months, an idea begin to germinate within me. At some point, I knew I wanted to act on it. I can't recall when that was exactly, but a series of events led to it.

I'm taking a minimum one year sabbatical from Husker football. I will not watch, or listen to, the games. I will not follow the team by listening to talk radio discuss the team. I will do my best to not read about the team online, or in the paper. I've unfollowed a number of journalists who cover the Huskers, and college football, from Twitter and the Twitter lists I've created.

I can't recall a season where I didn't watch a Husker football game. Some of my earliest memories are Husker football. I've blogged about the team incessantly in the past. This season will be a first for me.

I think there will be two major camps who both think this is ridiculous. There will be the camp that thinks it is ridiculous because I'm only getting rid of some mid-western college football team that hasn't been nationally relevant since last century. And then there will be the other camp that thinks its ridiculous because I'm a Nebraskan that has followed the Huskers closely since birth.

Here are some of the reasons why I'm getting rid of the Huskers for awhile.

Player Well-Being - This is the catalyst to all this. I don't think I need to rehash my thoughts on football players and long-term health. (In 2010, I wrote a post about it, and earlier in the year as well.) Thankfully, coaches and players have a better understanding of what the health effects are of the modern game, and how to best treat them. Still, there are effects. The tension for coaches, and players, is to push the limits of health just for a win or a starting job.

Is it the players choice? It is, for the most part, but do they have any idea the risks they are taking about their long term health? Do they have an understanding of how the long term effects will affect them when they are a husband and/or father? In the NFL, the average tackle is 1600 pounds of force. That is repeated punishment to the body, no matter what position you play. It's not just games, it's in practices as well. Why are the players doing it? In college, they receive no salary or long-term insurance benefits. While there are very few that achieve "glory", most play for the continued success of their football program. Free schooling? For some, but there are plenty more who don't care, or are pressured to not pursue a heavy course load so it doesn't interfere with football.

It's also disappointing to hear fans mock players who don't have the alleged mental or emotional strength to handle the pressure of playing Division I football. Because the rest of us wouldn't have cracked under the pressure. Right.

It's almost impossible to not think of the long-term effects of players when I watch now. While taking a break from the game, I find myself more concerned for the players well-being. It's interesting reading the stories behind the players.

"Worship" - People joke about it around here, and some Christians make half-hearted remarks about it, but it dominates people's lives. Many orient their lives around Husker football. It dictates important decisions, like scheduling weddings, conferences and other events. When the Huskers lose, the mood of the state deteriorates. People don't attend church the following day by roughly 10%. You come across people at church who don't know much about the Bible, but they sure know the ins and outs of the fourth string I-Back.

What's it all for? Why invest thousands of hours and dollars a year, not to mention the emotional investment, for something with a diminishing return? Why bend your morals to defend someone you would not if they weren't associated with Husker football? Because many don't seem to have joy in following the team. What glory does it bring? What is the payoff of going berserk over a bunch of 18-22 year olds? That's not to say following sports is a complete waste, but to those who orient their lives to the football program...why?

Is this really the only calling card we have, as Nebraskans, to the rest of the world? A football program that revels in its glory days?

A poignant moment I had as a father was a few years ago. The Huskers were playing Virginia Tech, and lost the game in the last minute. I reacted in some way that had Liam concerned. I saw this, and realized this was ridiculous. Even more ridiculous? I still needed some time to gather myself. Liam had been watching the game with me, cheering on Ndamukong Suh, but he just wanted to be with his dad. Now here I am frustrated, over a game, and I can't even connect with my son who wants to play.

Jana saw what was going on, and took Liam and Duncan outside to play. I went to my bedroom to try and compose myself. Five minutes later, Liam comes into the room. "Daddy, are you okay?" In the moment before I answered, I knew I had to make a choice to rule what I was thinking and feeling. "Yes. Yes Liam, I'm okay." He just wanted his dad to play with, nothing else. I smiled, and we went outside and played. He was loving it, and I was as well. I told myself I wasn't going to ever let a game adversely affect my responsibilities as a dad.

Influence and Scandals - Do football coaches/players need to be treated like they walk on water for what they do? Around here, some treat Rex Burkhead as the second coming of Christ. Rex is a solid, young man, but unfortunately they all can't be like Rex.

The frustrating thing is the enabling which fosters the kind of environment where fans turn a blind eye to their own programs cheating and poor behavior. I can still recall the arguments made in defense of Lawrence Philips and Christian Peter, despite their criminal behavior, by Husker fans. At the time it was indefensible, but almost twenty years later it seems ludicrous. And while they represent a minority of the fanbase, those Huskers "fans" that taunted Christian Peter's rape victim...I should censor myself here. Every fanbase has their idiotic fans.

The numerous scandals at multiple football programs have become tiresome. Even worse than some of the sordid things coming out of these scandals? People defending them. Granted, some of the NCAA rules are stupid and out-of-touch, but I don't want to abide by a philosophy of "if you're not cheating you're not trying".

And then there is Penn State.

Think of what happened at Penn State with the children that were raped by former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. The acts were covered up, and children were left to face the effects of rape alone, because some "leaders" didn't want to jeopardize the football program's image.

One of the victims, who was a whistle-blower in the Sandusky case, faced derision from people in the Penn State community. That's sickening. That's reality in college football. A program's fans will defend its own program blindly, even it means disposing of an individual.

Joe Paterno was once considered a "saint" because he won a lot of football games and talked the talk. Now? A disgrace, who showed he was only concerned about "his playground". The scandal was allowed to happen because of Joe's influence and misplaced priorities. It could have happened anywhere, including Nebraska.

24/7/365 - Following Husker football has become non-stop. It's wearying, and annoying. With recruiting news, I became frustrated that some random teenager's decision on where to attend "school" was affecting me so much. The developing passing mechanics of a certain QB, for instance, are breaking news pieces, until the following week's article which basically says the same thing. Spring football and off season workout news is 90% waste. ("...bigger, stronger, faster...team unity...good attitude...like new players/coaches...new offense will utilize strengths...best units yet...") It's pointless.

Football - I'm just not into football like I use to be. I'm not sure how much of a fan I ever was of the sport, compared with other sports. I enjoy following the NBA, MLB, EPL and international soccer more. I don't have the time to give to the sport.

There's more I could say, but I think I have made my point. I'm not against following the sport. I want the Huskers to do well.

Can the Huskers be avoided? No, not in this state. With the way it dominates life, I'll stay up-to-date without even trying. It'll be nice to have more time throughout the fall.

Why also do this? Perhaps to shine a light on some of the absurdity with fandom.

Again, considering some of the remarks I heard from people before, I can't wait to hear what comes my way this time. Tim Keller talks about how when someone opposes the "idol" of a particular community, violence is a common response from the community. What an idol is, and what violence is, can vary from what comes to mind initially. It'll be interesting to track what happens when this post goes up.

I know, I know, football is where boys become men, where leaders are made, a band of brothers are formed...blah, blah, blah. Just a hunch here, but I think men, and leaders, can be developed outside the football field. Probably more effectively, I might add.

And yes, other sports have injury risks and scandals. I've had people mock me about my concern with concussions and football. Apparently, I'm one of those parents that would have their kids always wear a helmet.

This past Friday night, I was driving through Bennington and saw the stadium lights on. From afar, it was a beautiful, Americana sight. The line of cars streaming into the parking lot to watch two communities' high school football teams battle it out. I turned out of the way to drive by, and then turned around to drive by again. The idea of what "friday night lights" is can be enthralling. I pulled away, and wondered about everything I've been thinking about with the game of football the past few years. I don't think I'll be able to enjoy watching a game like I once did.

As far as the 2012 Huskers? I don't know. I hope the players do well and stay healthy. I'll have peace of mind, and time for more important matters, no matter the team's record.

The RID Project: Music (Update #25)

2012-08-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

I've said this a few times here on the blog, but I'll say it again quickly. At one point in my life, my identity was centered around music. I lived and breathed it. Slowly, though, I arrived at the point where I boxed up numerous albums of mine and got rid of them.

Since I started The RID Project, there have been two times where I got rid of albums. Those were a part of my soundtrack collection. And while there were a few soundtracks in this wave of "ridding", this was different. These were albums I like, and I still listen to off and on, from some of my favorite artists. However, with music being more accessible in various online mediums it didn't make sense to hold on to the albums. It clears up more space on my laptop, and in my cellar.

What didn't wind up in this box? Some albums that are not available on Spotify, like the complete Cowboy Bebop and all Battlestar Galactica soundtracks, and a handful that are still sentimental. (Somehow I had two copies of Pearl Jam's Ten. I kept the cd I bought twenty years ago.) I'm not sure how many albums I'm left with, but it's not a lot. It's the lowest amount since I was in grade school.

Some of my favorite albums...ever. And I don't miss them. How could I when they are readily available on Spotify and YouTube? I'm not caught up in owning the physical album anymore. It's about the music.

Liam & Duncan's Thoughts About Mommy

2012-08-24T16:50:00.000-05:00

One of the things I did for Jana's birthday was to ask Liam and Duncan some questions about their mom. I got the idea from a recent Steven Furtick message when he shared a questionnaire his wife gave to his two sons about him.

A nice way to celebrate Jana's birthday, and highlight how amazing she is. For context, Liam turns six years old this November, and Duncan just turned four years old.

Describe what Mommy looks like? How tall is she? How much does she weigh? What color are her eyes? Her hair?
Liam: Beautiful. Wonderful. About 11 or 12 inches. 13 pounds. Blue (eyes). Black (hair).
Duncan: Beautiful. 30 inches. 50 pounds. Different colors…Lord of the Rings (eyes). Brown (hair).

What does Mommy do at home?
L: She makes food for us. She’s good at playing games with us.
D: I don’t know. I just don’t know. I don’t know.

Who is Mommy’s best friend?
L: Margie.
D: Duncan, Liam, Gideon, Daddy…all of us!

What are Mommy’s favorite foods?
L: One of her favorite ingredients to put on her food is salsa. She really loves spicy drinks.
D: Spinach soup. Salsa.

How are you like Mommy?
L: I win games a lot like Mom. I help around the house like Mom.
D: We both like kissing.

What is Mommy good at?
L: She’s good at making food for us. She’s good at playing with us.
D: She’s good at playing Legos.

What does Mommy like to do for fun?
L: Do book club and play with us.
D: Play lightsabers. She likes playing puzzles with me.

What is your favorite thing about Mommy?
L: Snuggling with her.
D: Kissing her.

What do you love about Mommy?
L: She loves us. She cuddles us.
D: Mommy Monster.

What does Daddy love about Mommy?
L: That she is your wife.
D: Mom kissing you.

Which Bible character reminds you most of Mommy?
L: Moses, because he had courage and mom has courage. He was brave and Mom is brave. He loved God and Mom loves God. He trusted God and mom trusts God. He worshipped God and Mom worships God.
D: God, because he loves me.

What is one thing that Mommy has taught you?
L: She has tried to taught me how to whistle. She has been teaching us home school, the whole alphabet, from A to Z.
D: My name, D-U-N-C-A-N.

What does Mommy always tell you?
L: That God loves us and we should know the Bible more.
D: She loves me…and I love her.

What makes Mommy happy?
L: When we make good choices. (Mom, will be so happy when this is all done!) She likes when we play with her and help around the house.
D: She loves me…that makes her happy. And when I kiss her that makes her happy.

What does Mommy know a lot about?
L: She knows a lot about the Bible, and Jesus and how much he loves us. And all the Bible characters. And all the New Testament characters and all the ones in the Old Testament.
D: The alphabet.

Online Campus: an Outage, an Apology, and a Resolution

2012-08-22T14:50:00.000-05:00

Uh, an Online Campus service?

This past Sunday, the potential nightmare of having an Online Campus became a reality. We were unable to stream our service due to a technology failure from the streaming media company we use. In recent weeks, we had experienced a few "hiccups" with our service, but this was an all-out failure.

In an instant, Jordan Johnson and I went into salvage mode. Jordan was on the phone with the company, and I was running around, with my laptop, trying to find a fix. Two other volunteers, Jana (my wife) and Paul Graff, were in the chat trying to explain things in realtime and plead with people for patience.

I needed to figure something out quickly. The Sunday was one of the most important Sundays of the year on our ministry calendar, Promotion Sunday. (High attendance as it's the start of the ministry calendar year.) Plus, the message was a time to give an update on what God has been doing in and through Christ Community Church since we started Double Your Impact. One of the things Lead Pastor Mark was going to highlight in his message was the launch and growth of the Online Campus.

And, there was nothing for those watching at the Online Campus.

Knowing the importance of the morning, and trying to figure out a solution, I decided to utilize my Ustream account and stream the service from my iPhone. In no way was it ideal, but it was a band-aid solution for the moment.

Who knows how many people were patient and gracious with us as we tried to fix things. By our attendance measurements, we had 310 at the Online Campus service. Who knows how many actually watched part of the service. I don't blame them if they bailed after a few minutes.

Here's a clip of me setting the stage for those watching online. This was roughly 20-25 minutes after the service started.

After I had set up my iPhone on the soundboard, Marc Birkey set up the sound booth so I could stream better. Birkey was directing the service at the time when he set up a monitor I could focus my iPhone on for a better picture. He also set up some computer speakers so I could get decent audio from the monitor. Huge improvement.

Once I got set up in the sound booth, and things calmed down, the people who were still with us in the chat were encouraging and gracious. I was surprised we had so many people still sticking around to see if we'd get things worked out. As Pastor Mark went into the message, it was well-received by those watching online.

Amazingly, we had one person in the chat say they were visiting the Online Campus that day. They had already visited the Old Mill and Sarpy Campuses. They said they had been looking for a home church, and decided they wanted to attend Christ Community Church. This, in spite of everything that had happened that morning, was a huge blessing. The efforts to salvage the service were a success.

That afternoon, I recorded an apology video for Online Campus attendees. I posted it on Facebook, Twitter and the CCC blog.

Now the issue was how to respond to our media streaming company. We had no notice from them they experienced an outage until Jordan had called them. Unlike previous outages, the service did not return throughout the service. I like to think I'm fairly gracious and understanding, but I was livid. That afternoon, I received emails apologizing for the outage and saying our account would be credited.

I wanted to take some time to calm down before responding. There was an event at CCC in the evening, which the family attended. It gave me some time to have fun with the boys, and interact with others at CCC. After we returned, I spent some time crafting my email.

While the apology on their part was nice, and the credit to our account was necessary, there was a greater concern about their stability and reliability. (We are in the middle of a two-year contract with them.) Also, I wanted them to know my perspective on the matters.

One of the thoughts I had when writing the message was of people who gave to the church. Pastor Mark always tells us to envision "the seniors of the church" who don't have much, but often give out of their need for the Kingdom. I wanted to be a good steward of what had been entrusted to me.

I was also thinking of an earlier conversation I had with Pastor Mark in April. We had experienced a brief outage, during an Online Campus service, from this company. Mark encouraged me to be strong in conveying how it was unacceptable to experience the outage. When I wrote the company back in April, I don't think my sentiment was as strong as it should have been. When I heard back, I felt brushed aside. A tough learning for me to experience. I wasn't going to repeat that.

I'll only put two sentences of the email here.

Regardless, we are extremely frustrated, and disappointed, with the level of service we have received the past few weeks. After this morning, I'm personally embarrassed by how I, my team, and Christ Community Church were represented because of [your] service.

How does a pastor, representing a Christian organization, respond to another Christian organization when they have not fulfilled their responsibilities? I thought about that as I wrote. I came back to I needed to be honest, fair and just. I had been gracious and understanding, but the time for that had run out.

I had Jordan proofread the email to make sure it was okay. He gave me his feedback, and I made a few tweaks. I sent it off Sunday evening. I also made sure some of my leaders knew of the email, in case I might have overstepped my bounds with what I said. They all thought it was appropriate.

Mondays are my day off, so it wasn't until yesterday that I heard from the company. The individual I work with wanted to talk directly. When we connected over the phone, they were apologetic. They owned up to everything that had happened in recent weeks. They explained what had occurred, and what was going on to fix things so this doesn't happen again.

It's not often you hear terms like, "begging for grace and mercy" and "asking you for forgiveness" when working with a vendor. The phone call was good. This individual is a good person and takes pride in their work. I know they want to do their best.

After the call, Jordan and I talked with some CCC leaders to get their feedback. I sent a follow-up message to the company, and we're at an understanding with what needs to happen going forward.

Now what?

Jordan and I are implementing a better contingency plan in case an outage does occur again. We will use Ustream, but the feed will not be from an iPhone. We hope to have it in place this weekend, but hopefully we won't have to use it.

We are doing preliminary research into other streaming media options. There are more options available from when I first started working on this full-time in July 2011.

While for one service it may have been fun and quaint, this is not the level of excellence we expect with the Online Campus. We will have to wait and see how the outages affect the Online Campus, but I'm hopeful.

I'm grateful to work with the team of staff and volunteers that I do. It made things easier in the midst of some stressful moments.

Online Campus: Six Months Later

2012-08-16T22:22:00.001-05:00

On February 5, 2012, the Online Campus had its first service. It has been live for six months now. Here are some statistics with the Online Campus.

Average attendance of 215
Over 4,700 unique visitors
Visitors from every state and over 35 countries
Nearly 100 prayer requests via the page, and over 75 through social media
Attendees connected to Benevolence, Renewal, and other ministries
One attendee baptized at Baptism on the Green

Top 5 Countries (Non-US)

India
Ukraine
Canada
Spain
United Kingdom

Top 10 States (Non-Nebraska)

Iowa
Minnesota
Illinois
Missouri
Colorado
Texas
Kansas
California
New York
Georgia

Top 5 Nebraska Cities (Non-Omaha)

Lincoln
Bellevue
Papillion
Blair
Norfolk

Six months is still a small sample size, but it is encouraging to see some of the data. The Online Campus continues to grow and impact lives.

I've mentioned this before, but one positive has been keeping Christ Community Church attenders more tied into what's happening. There was concern the Online Campus would provide an excuse for people to not attend. We've seen the opposite. The Online Campus has provided a way for people to attend when they haven't been able to, due to work, sickness, vacation or something else. Some people are more consistent in their attendance because of the Online Campus.

What's starting to form are two audiences. We have the audience of CCC attendees who can't make it to a physical campus for services, and then we have the audience of Online Campus attendees. The original intent of reaching an audience that wouldn't come to church is happening, but seeing the Online Campus be used for even more than that is cool.

The Online Campus continues to be a safe way for visitors to check out CCC. Numerous people have visited the Online Campus, liked what they experienced, and then gone to one of the other physical campuses to attend regularly. And, there are plenty of people who solely attend online, and prefer it that way.

What does the future hold? Well, we're working on expanding what the Online Campus provides. One thing we're excited about is streaming our first class. Starting in October, we'll be streaming Jesus Class on Tuesday nights. We're also streaming Gathering, a monthly Friday night event. A short-term mission trip for Online Campus attendees is in the early stages of planning. And, plans are in motion to add a midweek service sometime in the fall, once we get some things ironed out.

The Online Campus is still in its infancy, but I'm pleased with what we've seen so far. I feel like a lot of the success is in spite of me! So much has been invested into it by fellow staff and volunteers. Without them, the Online Campus is a failure.

Thanks for your continued support of the Online Campus. Great things lay ahead with it. I'm excited to see what God continues to do through it.

A Piece of Broken Pottery (One Year Later)

2012-07-27T16:11:00.001-05:00

If you watch one episode of evening news, you know our world is broken. And its getting worse. The fixes for the ills are not easy assignments. They are not short term. They are not going to have compensation packages. They will take decades or lifetimes. God is looking for some strong shoulder leaders who will take tough assignments. People who are willing to be attacked. People who will sign up for anything.
--Bill Hybels

When you go to a conference you can be overloaded with new ideas and concepts. You're entertained by the speakers and presentations. But what is the lasting impact? What sticks with you six months later, after the swell of the conference subsides?

At the 2011 Willow Creek Leadership Summit, I heard a number of great speakers. I thoroughly enjoyed the talks by Steven Furtick, Seth Godin, Len Schlesinger, Cory Booker and more. The speaker that had the lasting impact on me, though, was Mama Maggie Gobran.

We always fill out conference evaluations right after a conference ends. I think back on my evaluation and I'd redo it. Sure, I'd still give high marks to Steven, Seth and Len, but I'd score Mama Maggie higher. Why? Her talk was a factor in changing the trajectory of my life.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know a bit of the story* behind the broken piece of pottery Leadership Summit attendees received last year. It, along with the session when Mama Maggie shared, was a catalyst for me to be involved in a more direct way within the city.

*Two posts in particular. "Returning to the Scene of the Crime...And Finding Hope" Part 1 and Part 2.

I got involved with The Partnership For Our Kids, and volunteered at Franklin Elementary for the school year. This past May, my involvement came to an end.

There was one last event to attend as a volunteer. It took place in the middle of Big Omaha, a conference I love attending, but there was never any doubt I was going to be at Franklin that last time.

The time was a celebration for those students that achieved their goals. I walked into the school, and a number of students smiled and greeted me. I took my seat on the stage, in the auditorium, and students from one of the classroom handed me thank you card they created. I was nearly moved to tears.

Nine months earlier, I battled my own doubts about what impact a white, thirty-something from the suburbs could have with kids, in the city, that deal with family and poverty challenges on a daily basis. On this day, I end up in front of the school leading cheers to the students. A lot had changed. I'm glad I didn't listen to the doubts.

Into this last event I carried my broken piece of pottery. A symbolic move, the symbol of the catalyst that pushed me forward into greater involvement.

The broken piece of pottery sits on my desk, next to computer. It's there to remind me. Remind me that the world is broken and it is not going to get fixed unless I am available for tough assignments. The thank you card is up on my wall, next to my office door, to remind me as well. It reminds me that I can be used to make a difference in the lives of others.

I don't know the measure of impact I had on the lives of the students I worked with throughout the 2011-12 school year. The impact on me by the students, teachers, administrators and fellow volunteers? Immeasurable.

Looking forward to the next school year at Franklin Elementary.

Being Proven Wrong, Thankfully

2012-07-27T11:30:00.002-05:00

Over on Christ Community Church's blog, I wrote a post about my first year as the Online Campus Pastor. I talked about something where I was proven wrong. Thankfully, I might add!

Click here to read it.

Answered Prayer (We Have A Minivan!)

2012-07-25T15:41:00.002-05:00

ME: (answering iPhone) Hello?
ANONYMOUS: Hey Robert, what are you doing?
ME: Just working on what I'm going to say for baby dedications tomorrow.
ANONYMOUS: You want to go shopping?

Where to start.

My first thought is of Liam. His childlike faith challenged and inspired me. His simple prayers of asking for a new van, one that had a dvd player, had me wondering why I wouldn't/couldn't pray for bigger things. I thought I was doing the "sensible" thing with my prayers. I was asking for something "sensible", at first, with my minivan expectations. Was I being sensible, or was I afraid? Did I lack faith God couldn't provide something bigger? Did I try and make sure I wouldn't be disappointed, so I prayed "small"?

Liam's faith inspired me. He got Duncan praying as well for big things with the minivan. What was I to do? There were a number of options I could have chosen, but I looked to God as a dad. I looked at myself and how I would do anything (within reason, obviously) to provide my boys with the best. Liam wants a discontinued Boba Fett LEGO set? I track it down online for him, as he starts to save up for it. He believes he can get it somehow, and later on we manage to purchase it after I find one online.

Is God any different? The Bible says no. In my mind I know this. Practically walking it out was a test of faith for me because I've been trained to think and pray small with God over the years.

"Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"
(Matthew 7:9-11 ESV)

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 18:1-4 ESV)

"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
(Luke 18:17 ESV)

We're never suppose to "mature" in our childlike faith. I thought I was showing maturity by being sensible in my prayer requests for the minivan. I was trying to be the adult. Jesus tells us to be humble like a child, to receive him, and the Kingdom, like a child.

The son showed his father what it meant to have childlike faith again.

It was unnerving for me to pray boldly for a minivan that went beyond my sensible expectations. It was hard to speak the words, but it was faith-building for me. It was good for my own spiritual "maturity".

Another thought I have with this is God asking me to write the blog post I did a month ago. I wrote about my family's need for a new vehicle. I shared how we wanted a new minivan. (New being relative.) The process with writing the post was mentally arduous because I was aware what some of the feedback would be. For the most part, people were positive. A number of people prayed for us, and others offered up their own suggestions and tips. Jana and I were grateful for the outpouring of support and love. A number of friendships strengthened because of this. One friend, Jason Hackel, was driving around to different dealerships trying to help me find the right minivan. He was doing this own his own accord. Hearing stories like that blessed me.

A handful of people were slightly critical of the post, and they let me know it. I'm sure there were others that disagreed with the premise. I knew that would happen when posting it. I would look foolish to them. It was another part of faith for me, trusting God to provide when people think I'm being idiotic for doing so. I was publicly displaying my faith in a way not often considered a public display of faith.

Some thought it wrong of me to want the minivan I did. It's not like I was clamoring to live the 80's televangelist's lifestyle. Nothing close to that. I just wanted a minivan my family could rely on for the next ten years.

Another thought? Over the past few months there has been an individual/individuals repeatedly in my thoughts when thinking and praying for a minivan. I thought I should talk to them about the minivan, but I never did. I didn't want to jeopardize the burgeoning friendship.

When they called me a few weeks ago and asked if I wanted to go shopping, my heart rate quickened.

A few nights previous to the call, I prayed earnestly. I voiced my frustrations, and doubts, to God. I wasn't sure what else to do or say. I wasn't sure how to proceed. I was getting ready to drive almost 2,000 miles with a 20-year old car. The car had no air conditioning, and we are in the midst of a horrendous heat wave. I'm driving my family cross country in that?

More importantly, Liam had prayed confidently for the minivan. I wanted to see his prayers answered, and for his faith to be rewarded.

Does God always answer our prayers? I believe so, but just not in the way we think. I look back on some big things I asked God for that didn't happen. I now know why that is the case, but in the moment it can seem like God does not care.

After having my "earnest prayer", I had a sense of peace. I had confidence in God. I had no idea what was going to happen, but was confident in him regardless. Two days later, I spent $200 on getting my car fixed up a bit so I could make the drive to Ohio. I trusted God would provide at some point for a new vehicle. I had hoped it would be before I made the trip to Ohio, but it looked like it wasn't going to happen.

And then the phone call on Saturday afternoon.

In the time between the call, and when the individual/individuals came to pick me up, I paced my living room. I tried to not get my expectations up, but also thinking it wasn't coincidence they were calling me to go "shopping". I prayed. I wondered. I hoped. I told myself to not be afraid to be bold.

We headed out to go shopping, and I was asked a question. "So, where do you think we are going shopping?" I knew what I wanted to say, but was hesitant. They followed it up. "Craziest place you can think of." Here we go. "We're going to an auto dealership." The response? "That's right. We're going to get you a minivan."

How does one respond to that? How does one say "thank you"? I had no idea. My mind was flooded with varying thoughts. God's faithfulness was prevalent. I thought of God working in spite of me, since this individual/individuals had been on my mind before and I didn't talk to them.

They read my blog post about needing a van, and read about Liam's faith, and thought they should respond.*

*The individual/individuals have asked to remain anonymous. Please don't badger me about who it is. I won't respond in any way to the question.

Now, some could say this isn't God providing, but rather it's a Good Samaritan doing an incredibly nice deed. You could choose that line of thinking. I will not. I see it as God providing through them.

It was a wonderful time as we went minivan shopping. It was also educational for me since I'd never purchased a vehicle off the lot before. They had already done some research online for minivans, so when we pulled up to the lot we were informed. I test drove two minivans. "And, we need to make sure it has a dvd player because his son prayed for one." We smiled when that was shared with the salesperson.

We landed on a 2010 Chrysler Town & Country, with 29,000 miles. It was a smooth ride, had all the amenities I could have hoped for, and the interior was laid out well for my family. They also purchases a bumper-to-bumper extended warranty, and an oil change package, that reduces my future expenses as well with the minivan.

The afternoon and evening were a blur. I drove home and parked the minivan in the garage. My hope was to surprise Jana and the boys. They were already out in Ohio, and I was going to join them in a few days. I didn't want anyone to know I had it.

I sat on my porch and tried to process everything. People in the neighborhood were still firing off fireworks, because you know it's July 7. I enjoyed the show and thought about God's faithfulness.

God is faithful. He always had been. It's been a two year process. He helped me get out of debt. He inspired me, through people like Joshua Becker, to be more effective with my finances and resources. He helped me all along. He provided when little things came up that took bites out of the savings we were starting.

When I was in bed, I was praying. I was thanking God. I started crying, inexplicably, when thinking of people who thought I was foolish with my faith. God had my back. I didn't look the fool.

I composed myself and kept praying, but started crying again when thinking about how Liam challenged me with his faith. I was reminded of a Superman line. "The father becomes the son, and the son...the father." Does it apply? Well, Liam taught me about childlike faith. (Okay, I like Superman a lot!)

The best part was when I was crying I was covering my eyes. I'm in the dark of my bedroom. Who is going to see me?

I managed to keep the minivan a secret until I drove out to Ohio. Jana didn't have any idea until I drove up and she saw the in-transit sticker. "Is this ours?!" The boys were ecstatic, picked out their seats, and asked to watch something on the tv's right away.

Later, I told Liam how God provided us with a van. His response? "Well, we should thank God!" I was proud, and humbled. I asked Liam to pray. "God, thank you for giving us a new minivan with tv's and air conditioning. Amen." Amen. I almost started crying again.

We broke in the minivan on the trip. The boys made sure of that with spilling food and drinks, tracking in dirt, and leaving crayons in the cup holders where they'd melt. It brings a smile to my face. We put 1,940 miles on it over vacation. The air conditioning was great when the temperature read 102 degrees. The long drives from Ohio went faster, for the boys, when they could watch The Empire Strikes Back.

I've learned a lot over the past two years. It's been an experience. Looking back on it, I wouldn't change a thing.

God is faithful.

Covering Omaha & Pop-Culture in USA Today

2012-07-24T17:04:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to write a guest post in Whitney Matheson's Pop Candy blog. Pop Candy is a part of USA Today. I've been reading Whitney's work for a number of years now, so it was fun to have an opportunity to write about Omaha.

The post is part of a series of posts to introduce Pop Candy readers to pop-culture events/places in different cities across the United States. The posts are written by readers. She asks for readers to write for their respective cities. I offered to write for Omaha, and she asked if I could write something up. I worked on the piece throughout the month of June. I was grateful for the opportunity. It was a lot of fun to write.

In compiling the list, I realized there were a number of angles I could write this. One of the first things I acknowledged is I wouldn't please everyone, especially those in Omaha. So, I just tried to compile the best list I could, and tailor it to Pop Candy readers.

The first draft of events/places I came up with was over twenty, and when I asked around for suggestions the list grew even more. It was a good problem to have with Omaha, too many events/places to recommend to people.

If you know me, and read this blog, it shouldn't be a surprise why I included Big Omaha, Dundee, Amsterdam, The Old Market and Krypton Comics on the list.

I tried to avoid anything related to Warren Buffett and the Huskers. In a lot of people's minds they are already synonymous with the area. I hoped to enlighten people, outside the area, with the post. It's a reason why I was hesitant to include the Henry Doorly Zoo. (I thought it was too obvious, but then realized I didn't want to have a "hipster" list.) When I have out-of-town friends and family come visit I always recommend the zoo. It made sense to include it on the list.

Here are a sample of the events/places I considered, but ended up cutting.

Jazz on the Green
24th Street (North & South Omaha)
The Boiler Room
Bookworm
Benson
Joslyn Art Museum
Shakespeare on the Green
Waiting Room
Film Streams
Ted & Wally's
Maha Festival
River City Social Club

One of the tough things was which restaurants, bars, coffee houses and more to include. I could have done a list solely based on that. I tried to work in a few of them when writing about Dundee, Old Market and the Henry Doorly Zoo. Of course, Amsterdam was a separate entry. What can I say, it's my go-to place for food.

When editing down the list I noticed it slanted toward downtown and midtown Omaha. I tried to think of other events and places outside those areas, but I thought it would be a reach to include them in the list. Village Pointe is nice, but it's not necessarily a distinct and/or pop-culture hot spot in the area.

Why a list of eleven? Well, I whittled my list to a stereotypical ten, but wanted to mention Rainbow Rowell. When it comes to Omaha and pop-culture, I don't think there is anyone better to speak on the topic. So, I added an additional spot and discussed her work. That's why there is eleven.

It's funny, the inclusion of Krypton Comics has generated the most feedback. This isn't surprising when considering "fanboy" culture. I grew up going to Dragon's Lair off Blondo Street, and I like Legend Comics and Coffee. Krypton is a great place, though. It's where I often go to buy comics and collectibles. My boys love going there. If I was to recommend a comic shop to someone visiting from out-of-town, I'd recommend Krypton. That isn't a knock on the other local establishments. They are great places. (Although, some of the Legend Comics and Coffee fans aren't too happy with me.)

I wanted to get a good cross section of Omaha places and events in the list, with a pop-culture slant, and I'm pleased with the end product. Are there more that could be included? Of course! It's why I said in the opening, "While this list is a starting point, talk to anyone here and they'll be more than happy to get you where they think you'll have the most enjoyable time in Omaha".

Click here to read the post at Pop Candy.

"Man Of Steel" Teaser Trailer & Gideon Clark [Video]

2012-07-22T16:31:00.000-05:00

Because of Christopher Nolan's success with The Dark Knight trilogy, I surprise people when I mention I prefer Superman over Batman. This happened again over the weekend. It's' not a knock on Batman, but to many fans it is an either-or proposition when it comes to the DC Comics icons.

I did just attend The Dark Knight IMAX trilogy, so that lets you know I like the character of Batman. However, my third son is named Gideon Clark Murphy. Guess where the inspiration for Clark came from. Here's a hint in case you need it.

Picture of Gideon Clark four hours after he was born.

The first glimpse of the new Superman film, Man Of Steel, was posted online. Needless to say, I'm stoked to see it.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;A href="http://movies.uk.msn.com/exclusives/video.aspx?videoid=3522edb4-bf76-47b8-978f-ea62edeb4e07&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=v5:embed:syndication:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;from=shareembed-syndication" target="_new" title="Man Of Steel Trailer"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Video: Man Of Steel Trailer&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/A&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Vacation, Had To Get Away

2012-07-22T15:31:00.000-05:00

4 of 5 Murphys looking at the camera is a win.

After spending some time away in Ohio and Chicago, it's good to be back in Omaha. This may be universal for everyone heading out on vacation, but the days leading up to it I was realizing how much I needed a break. This year has had its moments for me, as documented here and here.

Before heading out on vacation, I found myself resting more. I felt tired in all aspects of life. The time away was refreshing for me.

Vacation can sometimes be tiring, so I took an additional vacation day as a recovery day. That was wonderful. It gave me a day to transition back to life at home before going back to work.

While the time away was fun, it's good to be back in Omaha.

Beyond The Message: Servant Songs

2012-07-20T16:30:00.000-05:00

In the latest Beyond The Message, I sit down with Tim Perry to talk about his recent message covering the Servant Songs. These passages are found in the Book of Isaiah, and are full of imagery about Jesus. Tim and I spent a few minutes discussing a point from each of the four songs.

Eleven Years In [Video]

2012-07-07T10:11:00.002-05:00

Thanks for eleven wonderful years, Jana.

The RID Project: Soundtracks 2.0 (Update #24)

2012-07-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

This isn't my first time getting rid of soundtracks. Last November, I started reducing my collection of soundtracks. It's time for another round of reduction.

Why am I getting rid of some of these soundtracks now? The catalyst was Spotify. If you don't know, Spotify is an online music service. One can listen to practically any album/song. While you can't download tracks, you can create your own customizable playlists. All you have to deal with are commercials every few songs. If you pay a monthly fee you get it commercial free, and get it for your mobile device. What's the need for owning music files?

There are a few albums I haven't found on Spotify, but for the most part I've found many of my soundtracks. When I do listen to these albums, it's when I'm working. If that's the case, there's no need for me to hold on to these soundtracks. And besides, I don't listen to some of the soundtracks that much anymore. The Harry Potter soundtracks I don't listen to at all, except for the first soundtrack, despite my affinity for the stories and films*.

*Except for Prisoner of Azkaban. Did not like that adaptation.

Here's the (brief) story with the soundtracks I'm getting rid of.

Some of the soundtracks I purchased for one or two tracks.

"Brooks Was Here", The Shawshank Redemption - A haunting track.
"Speed Racer", Speed Racer - An updated version of the classic theme.
"Prologue and Main Title", Superman - An iconic theme.
"Stealing Fat", Fight Club - The track from the film's trailers always stuck with me.

Some soundtracks I use to listen to a lot, but now I don't for whatever reason.

Riverdance - This was a staple during my road trips to and from Arkansas, in the late 90's. I also listened to it a lot when I was out on the road with the Ecclesia Theater Company. I'm Irish, so I'm suppose to like this...right?
Six Feet Under - I think I bought this to justify pirating all the episodes of the show I watched, but I ended up enjoying the album. This is a good mix of songs. Really like the Shuggie Otis track.
The Matrix Reloaded - Good double album with songs and score. I think the score is the better disc. I enjoyed the second film of the trilogy. I think it gets a bad rap now, mainly because the third film was so poor.

Some soundtracks I bought because I enjoyed their films so much.

Almost Famous - Fantastic movie. The scene where everyone starts singing "Tiny Dancer" is great, and not surprisingly I've played that song the most off this album.
You've Got Mail - I remember being slightly embarrassed about liking this movie so much. Over time, I stopped caring who knew I liked the film. It's why I bought the soundtrack, and then tracked down the score.
High Fidelity - Fun book. Fun film. The soundtrack is worthy to be connected to Rob, Dick and Barry.

My soundtrack collection is considerably less than what it use to be, but so what? It's about the music, and I have access to the music even if I don't own the soundtracks anymore.

An interesting development with The RID Project is finding out that as I get rid of stuff, there is more stuff I can get rid of. Does that make sense? Doing this project has helped me realize how I don't need a lot of the stuff I have. When I started The RID Project, I doubt I would ever have envisioned getting rid of all the clothes, books and music that I have. However, here I am, and I'm looking to eliminate more from my life.

I still enjoy soundtracks, but I don't need to own them anymore. I don't want them collecting dust in my cellar, or collecting proverbial dust in my iTunes library. I want to be rid of as much clutter, and entanglements, as possible.

The RID Project: Apple Boxes (Update #23)

2012-07-03T22:38:00.000-05:00

Some of the things I have kept appear to be motivated by common sense. Like the various Apple boxes I have in my basement. ("Look at my stack of Apple boxes, that I keep on the top shelf out of view, here in the cellar!") Because once I have opened and used my Apple item, it makes complete sense to keep the box for...resale purposes. That's my main motivation for keeping them. Sure, it might be necessary for warranty purposes, but if the product has a defect the packaging shouldn't matter.

I keep the boxes for whenever I sell the Apple item on eBay. That nets me an extra...one dollar?

The boxes here are leftovers after an earlier purge. There's no need to keep them. I'm not that zealous an Apple fan. And, I'm trying to get rid of things. It's common sense to get rid of the boxes.

Online Campus: Summer Promo [Video]

2012-07-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

Five months into the life of the Online Campus, and we are pleased with the results and impact. We recently shot a video highlighting some of what has already taken place at the OC. As well, we talk about some of the advantages the OC provides during the summer when families and individuals find it hard to stay connected at church.

Special thanks to Jordan Johnson who filmed and edited this piece.

Online Campus: A Project in the Works... [Video]

2012-06-29T15:48:00.000-05:00

I got the green light to pursue an idea I pitched. Stay tuned...

A Funeral, Reunion, Celebration and Wonder (A Tease of Upcoming Posts)

2012-06-29T15:18:00.000-05:00

Earlier in the week, I attended a funeral for Oren Paris Sr. He was the founder of the missions organizations I was a part of for nearly ten years. (1994-2004)

The funeral was in Springdale, Arkansas. The family and I drove down to Kansas City on Sunday evening, and then I drove down to Arkansas on Monday for the service. Spent some time with the Paris family afterward, and then drove back to Kansas City that night. Drove back to Omaha Tuesday morning, and jumped into a goals meeting for 2012-13 that afternoon. Wednesday featured meetings from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. That night I slept for over ten hours.

The week has been a bit disorienting to me.

There's been a lot I have wanted to say, and in typical fashion I find myself working on a long post about my time with the organization. In some ways, I felt like I was closing a chapter on a part of my life. Not sure if this is true, but it felt like that.

Hopefully I get the posts finished up and posted soon.

Online Campus: Jonah [Video]

2012-06-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, at the Online Campus, we will be talking about the life of Jonah. As a bit of a teaser, here's an animation I helped produce a few years ago that covers the Book of Jonah, chapter one.

We Need A Minivan

2012-06-22T09:02:00.002-05:00

Jana and I own, and drive, a 1992 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight. I was an underclassmen in high school when this car came off the factory line. It's old.

Don't get me wrong, we have been grateful for this car. When our previous car died, during the morning rush hour on Dodge Street, we were given the Oldsmobile by a family member. That was the fall of 2008. We've had this car three and a half years, and it's worked for us as our family has grown from three to five.

There are issues with the car, though. The air conditioning hasn't worked for almost two years. Sometimes the locks don't work. Transmission has been spotty. Brakes have been completely replaced. Radiator has had some issues. The electrical needs to be fixed with the turn signals. It's leaking something, which may be a mixture of a few liquids. The interior is, well, the interior is twenty years old. And, if we ever have a fourth child, our Oldsmobile wouldn't be able to hold our entire family.

Yeah, the car is not holding up too well, and we're not enthralled with the idea of sinking more money into it.

We need a new car. Specifically, we need a minivan. Since we just got out of debt, we don't want to go right back into debt with a car purchase. We are saving money, but to buy a nice minivan it will take us some time to save up enough.

So, we are praying for a new minivan. It's been challenging, and convicting, praying for one because I've noticed my own false humility (pride), and lack of faith, when praying. I was challenged in my lack of faith when my 5-year old son Liam was praying for a new minivan. I had been praying for something that would just get us by, a used vehicle. Not Liam. He was praying for a new minivan "that has tv's so we can watch movies when on long road trips to Ohio". Why not? What's wrong with a new vehicle? Nothing. Will we get something right of the lot? Not saying that, but why be ashamed of something new? I had been praying for something that would just be good enough.

Jana and I were trying to think of cars we owned and how old they were when we got them. Most of our cars had at least seven years on them. We were always grateful for the cars, bu we were also dealing with major repairs. The cars brought frustration, and yet here I was praying for something along those lines again.

I was reminded of a passage from the Book of Matthew.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
(Matthew 7:9-11 ESV)

God knows what Jana and I would like for our family. There's no shame in asking for it, especially when it is a tangible need.

I'm also aware of the needs families face around Omaha, and the world. There are families that face starvation on a daily basis. My family has received innumerable provision and blessings. I had felt bad, at times, praying for a new vehicle because I know there are families facing much more dire situations. Trying to make the ask of a new minivan, in a fashion that makes me look more spiritual, just reveals my own pride.

This is a need my family faces. I don't want to make it any bigger or smaller than what it is. We would ask that you pray with us as we ask God to provide a new minivan for us. ("New" is not necessarily being right off the lot. "New" to me is something within three years of its release and having low mileage and use.)

How that will happen remains to be seen, but you will hear about it here at some point.

Online Campus: Helping the Nation of Mali

2012-06-21T14:05:00.001-05:00

For a number of years, Christ Community Church has partnered with people and organizations within the nation of Mali. The highlight of this partnerships has been helping to build a hospital for women and children.* CCC has raised over $1.3 million for the project.

*To understand a bit more about our work in Mali, click here to watch one of our Mali videos.

One of the projects we're currently helping with in Mali is providing educational supplies to students. During this past Sunday's services, we made the ask for people to buy and/or donate supplies for these students. The Online Campus Team shared with people watching online, in the chat room, how they could be a part of this project as well. We gave the church address so they could ship items to us.

Two days later, I received five boxes worth of notebooks. How awesome is that! The Online Campus was the first to respond to the ask. These notebooks will be a huge blessing to students in Mali. It's cool that people attending the Online Campus can have worldwide impact with their giving.

Why I Won't Buy From TOMS Again

2012-06-19T13:01:00.001-05:00

Three weeks into wearing TOMS

A few years ago, TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie spoke at the Omaha Young Professionals Summit, and from those who attended I became familiar with the TOMS story. Blake spoke at Willow Creek's Leadership Summit in 2010, and it was a great story of building a business while being socially conscious. I even participated in TOMS One Day Without Shoes in 2010.

I love the TOMS story, which is why it pains me to write this post.

I've been pursuing a minimalism lifestyle for awhile now. I didn't want to buy a pair of TOMS until it was necessary. Three months ago the time arrived, and I purchased my first pair. They arrived at the beginning of April.

When I first put them on, they were comfortable. I loved how they felt, and started wearing them consistently. Not every day, but consistently. Three weeks later, the sole started to split from the rest of the shoe. Understandably, the return policy prevents a return with shoes already worn.

Over the next few weeks, tears started to appear in other parts of the shoes. I hadn't even owned them for two months, but they looked old already. I was disappointed. Partly because they were comfortable, but also because the money spent on them seemed wasted.

Granted, buying a pair of TOMS meant a child in need received a pair of shoes as well. That's a good thing. But what if I bought a similar pair of shoes to TOMS, that lasted longer and were cheaper, and then donated the difference in money to a charity providing footwear to kids?* I could buy a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor slips, which are cheaper than the TOMS I bought.

*A few years ago, I expanded upon this when talking about a charity drive Starbucks was doing.

I don't usually leave feedback for a product, but I decided to post a review, on TOMS site, about the shoes I purchased. I was surprised that the shoes had an average of 3.8 starts out of 5. I thought it might be lower, because of my experience. Maybe it was just me.

I wrote up a fair, but critical, review of the shoes and gave it two stars out of five. I posted it, and a message said my comment would have to be approved. Fine. I checked back a few days later. The comment was never approved. I sent out a tweet, with TOMS mentioned, discussing this. No response from TOMS, which is savvy with social media.

The comment has yet to be approved, but a nice five star review has been posted since then by someone else. There are no reviews posted, for this particular shoe, that are lower than three stars.

Now, it is possible that my feedback never went through. However, more likely is the feedback was never approved because it would hurt the rating and reputation of this particular shoe. I began to wonder how often that happened.

One of the nice things about Amazon is you can see the love and hate when it comes to reviews. There have been many products I've purchase through Amazon that received one star ratings and scorn. I still bought the products.

I posted the two star review because I did like TOMS. I liked their story. I want their products to get better. I was considering buying a different pair of TOMS, even though the first pair I bought split apart so fast. However, the apparent selective approval of feedback is disappointing and has changed my thoughts with their shoes.

Working at a non-profit for half my life, I understand the pressure to put on a successful front with your efforts. I think that's general in business...in life. The problem is when you are found out for being selective in your truth-telling it stains you. It hurts your reputation.

I am only one TOMS customer. Thousands of customers have wonderful experiences with TOMS. That's good. I'm not going to start a crusade against TOMS because I still think they do good work. Well, I'd like to keep thinking that. Blake's story is challenging and an inspiration. Thousands of kids today have shoes because of TOMS.

The TOMS I have are comfortable, but fall apart easily. I am limited in what I can do with them now. I can't wear them often because they'll just wear away even quicker. Unfortunately, I'll have to buy a new pair of shoes soon because of it. I won't be spending more money on TOMS.

It was one comment. If it gets approved, what happens? I still think well of TOMS, and I probably buy another pair of shoes from them. Instead, the comment isn't approved, I think less of the TOMS brand, and I write this critical post about TOMS.

Next time I help kids get shoes, I'll give directly to an organization that helps with the cause.

Will this post make a difference? Well, for anyone potentially buying a pair of Freetown Black Men's Classic from TOMS, hopefully it will give them a more rounded perspective before making the purchase.